1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a knob for a faucet which limits the opening of the valve for the faucet to a user selected amount.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is a common practice, when taking a shower for example, to set the water temperature by trial-and-error. Both hot and cold faucets are usually opened and the users hand is held in the running water stream to "feel" the temperature of the water. Then, depending on whether the water feels cold or hot, the positions of the knobs for the hot and cold water are adjusted. The water temperature is then felt again, and the process is repeated until the felt temperature of the water reaches the desired level.
Ordinarily, when the hot water faucet is closed the water remaining in the pipes cools down relative to the water in the water heater tank. When the faucet is turned on, it takes several minutes for the cooler water to be flushed out of the pipes and for the hot water from the water heater tank to reach the faucet. If the water temperature was adjusted prior to allowing the cooler water to be flushed from the piping system, the water temperature will suddenly change and the person taking a shower may be scalded when hot water from the water heater tank reaches the faucet.
In addition, when children are being bathed in the tub, they may unexpectedly reach for the hot water faucet and unknowingly open the hot water faucet to its most open position, thus scalding themselves or the adult bathing them.
For these reasons, many systems have been proposed in the prior art for regulating the temperature of the water issuing from domestic bathroom and kitchen faucets.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,070, issued to Surabian, shows a faucet where electric motors open and close the hot and cold water valves through respective gear trains which operate to turn the valve stems. The Surabian system does not have any provision for limiting valve opening to a preset level. Turning the electric motors on and off merely duplicates the function of the standard faucet handles or knobs. The Surabian system was intended mainly to allow the elderly or the handicapped, who either lack the strength or the means for operating standard faucet handles or knobs, to turn on the faucet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,175, issued to Keller, III et al., shows an anti-scald bathroom faucet. The Keller, III et al., faucet has an adjustable stop on the faucet cover plate. The stop is engaged by an abutment on the faucet knob to restrict faucet opening to a preselected level. The Keller, III et al., system is suitable for use with mixing faucets only, and cannot be retrofitted to existing valves. Further, the Keller, III et al., system lacks the left-hand threaded sleeve and stop collar of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,252, issued to Botnick, shows a sliding plate mixing valve wherein slotted cylindrical plugs control water temperature by restricting the hot and cold water flow passage areas to preselected amounts. The Botnick system is suitable for use with mixing faucets only, and cannot be retrofitted to existing valves. Further, the Botnick system lacks the left-hand threaded sleeve and stop collar of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,348,577, issued to Miller et al., shows a push button mixing faucet for a kitchen or bathroom. The Miller et al. faucet has a two piece push button for warm water. The positions of the two pieces of the warm water button, relative to each other, determines the relative openings of the hot and cold water valves thereby controlling the warm water temperature. The Miller et al. system is suitable for use with mixing faucets only, and cannot be retrofitted to existing valves. Further, the Miller et al. system lacks the left-hand threaded sleeve and stop collar of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,708,551, issued to Record, shows a temperature regulator for a faucet. The Record device has a rectangular mixing chamber. A bellows type thermostat controls the relative openings of the hot and cold water inlets to the mixing chamber, thus controlling the water temperature. The Record device is suitable for use with mixing faucets only, and cannot be retrofitted to existing valves. Further, the Record device lacks the left-hand threaded sleeve and stop collar of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,689,236, issued to Fraser, Jr., shows an adjustable stop on a valve knob, which engages a post adjacent the valve to limit the opening of the valve to a user selected amount. The Fraser, Jr. device lacks the left-hand threaded sleeve and stop collar of the present invention.
German Patent Document Number 3211618 A1, by Woitelle et al., shows a mixing valve faucet actuated by a lever. The Woitelle et al. device lacks a left-hand threaded sleeve and mating stop collar.
German Patent Document Number 2 337 614, by Kempler, shows a conventional mixing faucet with separate hot and cold water valve opening levers.
German Patent Document Number 2 035 280, by Gruber, shows a water faucet with separate temperature and flow controls. The Gruber faucet uses a thermostat to control water temperature.
German Patent Document Number 1 941 107, by Diem, shows a push-button bathroom faucet with a handheld shower attachment.
German Patent Document Number 1 775 579, by Gohring, shows a conventional bathroom faucet having a decorative housing which is held in place by eccentric collars which fit around the hot and cold water pipes.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.